Mike Williams’ brother turns himself in to police

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Williams was allegedly stabbed in the left leg by his brother, Eric Baylor, on Sunday night.

Rob Foldy/Rob Foldy-USA TODAY Sports

TAMPA, Fla. — Eric Baylor, the brother of Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Williams, turned himself in to police at 10 p.m. Monday after a warrant was issued for his arrest following his alleged stabbing of Williams in the left thigh Sunday night.

Baylor, 23, was booked at 11:40 p.m. at the Orient Road jail on a felony charge of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon. A spokeswoman for the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office said Baylor, listed at 6-feet, 280 pounds, turned himself into authorities about six hours after clips of 911 calls from the incident were released to media. He is being held without bond.

The alleged stabbing occurred at the gated community in the northern boundary of Tampa where Williams lives. The four-year wide receiver has struggled with off-the-field issues this offseason. He faces misdemeanor charges of criminal mischief and trespassing stemming from a December incident.

Bucs general manager Jason Licht said coach Lovie Smith had been in contact with Williams by telephone and that the team was still trying to determine what happened.

"The good news is Mike is healthy," Licht said Tuesday in Orlando, where he was attending the annual NFL meetings.

Deputies responded Sunday to Williams’ Tampa home, finding him with a stab wound in the left thigh. The player initially told deputies the brothers were wrestling and the stabbing was accidental.

Witnesses gave statements later that the two argued before the stabbing.

Bucs co-chairman Joel Glazer, also in Orlando for the NFL meetings, said the situation "distracts from the team and the positive things we’re doing" in the community.

"What this does, what any bad news does, is overshadow all the great work, all the hard work of all the other players," Glazer said. "There’s 50 some-odd players doing great things. We’d rather that be the focus."

Last July, the Bucs signed Williams to a six-year, $40.25 million contract. He was thought to be Tampa Bay’s answer as its No. 2 wide receiver last season, but he was placed on injured reserve Oct. 28 with a torn right hamstring after catching 22 passes for 216 yards and two touchdowns in six games.

A former fourth-round pick from Syracuse, he has 215 catches for 2,947 yards with 25 touchdowns in his career.